Book cover applying machine



June 11, 1957 L. J. B. R. FRENCH 2,794,993

BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet v1 June 11, 1957 Filed July 27, 1954 L. J. B. R. FRENCH BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1957 L. J. B. R. FRENCH 2,794,993

BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet s June 11, 1957 J. B. R. FRENCH 2,794,993

BOOK COVER APPLYING macaw:

Filed July 27, 1954 7 sheetsfisheet 4 FIGS.

,June 11, 1957 J. B. R. FRENCH BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 27, 1954 June 11, 1957 L. J. B. R. FRENCH 2,794,993

BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1954 7 Sheet -Sheet 6' June 11, 1957 L. J. B. R. FRENCH 2,794,993

- BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1954 TSheets-Sheet 7 2,794,993 BOOK COVER APPLYING MACHINE Lionel J. B. R. French, London, England Application July 27, 1954, Serial No. 446,108 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 31, 1953 3 Claims. c1. 11-3 This invention relates to book cover applying machines for securing to books binding of the kind in which the two outer covers of the book are formed as one sheet and are secured by gluing to the outer pages of the book which for this purpose are conveniently blank, the back of the book being unglued to allow the part of the cover extending over the back to remain loose and thus to facilitate opening of the book. These machines are generally known as casing in machines. This kind of binding is of particular use where the covers are flexible, such for example, as on pocket diaries, but on the other hand this kind of binding is also of use where the covers are stiif and connected by a flexible portion to extend over the back of the book.

The object of the present invention is to provide a I simple machine for bookbinding of the kind referred to in which the operation is completely automatic, the only manual attention necessary being to feed the machine with books and covers, such feeding not interrupting the operation of the machine. The further object of the invention is to provide a machine where the mechanical parts are reduced to the smallest possible number and are the least complicated to make.

In accordance with the broad aspect of the invention a machine for bookbinding of the kind referred to includes an endless chain, belt or the like arranged for movement in a closed circuit over a series of chain wheels, pulleys or the like, the chain or the like carrying a series of equally spaced blades extending lengthwise from the chain or the like so that when passing around a chain wheel or pulley the length of the blade extends parallel to the chain wheel or pulley axis, the width only of each blade moving angu-j' larly, this arrangement enabling a substantially horizontal length of the chain or belt to pick up books from a horizontal table by engagement of the blades in the leaves of the book, and a substantially vertical length of the chain or belt moving upwardly to carry books engaging between their leaves on the blades and resting by gravity in that and are able to exert without substantial deflection the force necessary to drag the books between rollers for gluing and for applying the covers.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the book cover applying machine:

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cover hopper and its adjacent parts:

Figure 3 is a side elevation, the detachable side cover plate having been removed:

tates atent ice Figure 4 and Figure 5 are front and rear elevations the cover plates having been removed:

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a cover in process of application to a book:

Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views showing the manner in which the books are delivered one by one from the book hopper and picked up by the blades:

Figure 9 is a side elevation looking on the opposite side of the machine to Figure 3.

. In one construction of machine in accordance with the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings two similar loops of chain 1 are mounted for movement in a substantially rectangular closed circuit, a pair of chain sprocket wheels 2 mounted on one spindle being positioned at each corner of the rectangle so that both chains 1 travel at exactly the same speed. A number of flat blades 3 are attached to the chains at regular intervals, the attachment being to one link only of each chain so that the flexibility of the chain is not altered. Each blade 3 is made of thin sheet metal and is in the form of an elongated rectangle, the length of the rectangle extending transversely from the chains, thus leaving the free ends of the blades available for other parts of the machine to insert covers between the ends of the blades. The rectangular closed circuit is arranged in a vertical plane so that the lower and upper sides of the rectangle are horizontal and the other sides of the rectangle are verticala An electric motor 4 is provided for driving the sprocket wheels at a constant speed so that the chain moves continuously in one direction around the rectangle when the machine is working, the motor output shaft being fitted with a sprocket wheel 5 which drives through the medium of a chain 6 a larger sprocket wheel 7 associated with the upper left hand chain sprocket wheel spindle in Figure 3. Under the lower horizontal part of the rectangle a horizontal table 8 is provided, guides being provided on this table for the chains and for the remote ends of the blades to ensure that the blades travel over the surface of the table in parallel relation thereto. Between the table and the blades an auxiliary table 9 is provided that is adjustable relatively to the blades so that whilst it is always parallel to the blades its spacing from the blades can be varied. This adjustment is conveniently carried out by providing two angularly disposed portions 10 and 11 one at each end of the auxiliary table which engage abutments 12 and 13 on the table 8, portion 10 projecting upwardly and portion 11 downwardly, the auxiliary table being urged towards the right (see Figure 3) by a tension spring 14a, a screw adjustor 14 being provided to move the anxiliary table 9 lengthwise against the spring with respect to the main table so that the auxiliary table moves up or down on its angular end portions. On the main table 8 by the side of the path of the blades a vertical hopper 15 is provided for receiving the uncovered books. This hopper is open at the top and books are inserted at the top when the machine is in operation, the hopper being adjustable to take books of different sizes. At the bottom of the hopper a reciprocating feed head in the form of a slide 16 (see particularly Figure 8) is positioned for reciprocation transversely to the path of the blades under the control of a connecting rod 17, the arrangement being such that a step on the slide engages the edge of the lowest book of the pile of books 18 in the hopper remote from the blades and pulls it into the path of the blades. The timing of the movement of the slide is such that a book is pulled from the hopper and pushed on to each s 1 blade as it moves past the hopper.

The hopper itself is provided with a step at its edge adjacent the blades so that only the lowest book is moved at one time and a pawl in the form of a hinged flap 19 is provided to prevent the book from returning with return movement of the slide. The book when ejected from the hopper as previously stated falls onto a blade and is carried along by the blade over the auxiliary table where the book itself contacts a brush 20 mounted just above the path of the blades, this brush being set at an angle to the path of .the blades. The brush engages the book which latter is slightly skewed round with respect to the blades into the dotted line position and falls down on to the auxiliary table in this position so that the leading edge of the next blade (the blades moving in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 8) will engage centrally in the leaves on the edge of the book at one corner thereof, for example, the top corner of theforedge. The. books as originally placed in the hopper are such that the bound backs of the books face in the direction of movement of the blades. By this means the next blade moving along will strike a corner of the leaves of the book and will enter these leaves till it meets the binding at the back of the book when the book will be dragged along by the blade. At the same time that ablade engages a book, the book carried on, its upper surface is swept off by the brush to dropon to the auxiliary table for engagement by the next blade. The leading edge of each blade is reasonably sharp so that no damage occurs to the leaves of the book as a result of entry of a blade therebetween. On the lower run a book is carried along on each blade,'the backs of the books lying foremost. An adjustment of the level of the auxiliary table will govern the height at which the blades are inserted in the thickness of the book, and consequently by operation of the adjustor 14 the auxiliary table may be adjusted vertically to suit books of different thickness and ensure that the blades enter the books approximately in the centre. It is preferred to provide a slotted guide through which the unsupported parts of the blades pass,thereby supporting the blades at the tips, the guide extending upwards to a point just below. the cover feed headso that they are unable to move laterally from their true path to any material extent.

Following this lower horizontal run of the blades the chains pass around the sprocket wheelat the left hand corner of the rectangle (see Figure 3) and the blades then proceed in an upward vertical movement, a pivoted finger guide 21 being provided in this vertical movement to engage the books and ensure that they are correctly positioned on the blades, guide 21 being shown clearly. in Figure 3. Adjustment of this guide is effected .by adjusting screw nut 22. The blade and its associated book then pass between two pasting rollers 23. Each of these rollers 23 is mounted on an individual paste container 24 which is pivoted at 25 on the framework of the machine to press, by reason of the weight of the container and roller 23 against one side of the book. Each containerincludes an auxiliary roller 26 which dips into the paste in the container, this roller contacting the roller 23 projecting over the edge of the container to transfer paste thereto and thus paste the front and back faces of the book as iti passes between the rollers 23. Rollers 23 are driven by rollers 26 through associated gear wheels 27, each spindle carrying roller 26 being fitted with a pulley 28 for belt outer pages of the book are maintained straight, and no surplus deposited on the foredge of the book; .The fact that the book is mounted centrally onthebladeqensures that equal pasting force is applied to either side of'the book.

For applying covers a feed head in the form of a sliding plate is mounted on the vertical side of the rectangle just above the gluing rollers, this plate 35 being slotted centrally'as at 36 so that the blades carrying the books can pass upwardly through the slotted plate. Immediately above the slot a pair of rollers 37 are disposed on opposite sides of the path of the blades for rotation about horizontal axes, these rollers being adjustable to vary their distance apart. A feeding mechanism withdraws a flexible cover 38 from the hopper 39 into a position in which it lies under the rollers so that a book carried by the blade having its outer surfaces glued meets the centre of the cover and pulls the latter in an upward direction between the rollers so that the cover is pressed by the rollers against the glued outer surfaces of the book. Where the covers are flexible the rollers 37 are disposed close to the table so that the flexible cover 38 is bent during the passage of the book and cover between the rollers and the rollers thus apply their pressure from the back of the book to the front edges ensuring that no air bubbles are trapped. In a case where the covers are rigid having only a flexible portion to cover the back of the book the rollers. are positioned a distance above the feed head so that the back of the book on engaging the centre of the cover can leave the cover sufficiently so that the edges thereof clear the feed head before the book enters the rollers. Here again the rolling pressure will be applied to back and front of the book.

The vertical hopper 39 may be fed manually with covers from the top, individual covers being extracted by the feeding means from the bottom of the'hopper. In a case where the covers are flexible it is not possible that the feedingmeans can operate by pushing the back edge of the lowermost cover and in consequence a gripping technique comprising suction cups acting from the front edge of the cover. is employed.

For this purpose the slotted plate 35 is positionedunder the hopper carrying a pair of suction cups 40 (one only being shown in Figure 6) connected by way of a valve control mechanism 41 to a vacuum pump. The plate 35 oscillates transversely of the direction of movement of the blades.

The suctioncups are mounted on pivoted arms 42 and when the sliding plate 35 is in its innermost position, i. e., a position in which the lowermost cover is to be extracted, thelower end of the hopper containing the covers overhangs the end of the plate 35 leaving sufficient space for the two .suction cups to be raised into contact with .the lowermost cover as a result of upward pivotal movement of the arms 42, the latter being pivoted about their sup ports 43 and being normally urged downwardly by coil springs 44. The supports 43 are connected with the plate 35, whilst one of the arms 42 is connected to a connecting rod 45,.

As suction is being applied to the cups and as they have beenmoved into engagement with the lowermost cover, the cover on the direction of movement of the plate 35 being reversed will be drawn from the hopper and will finally assume the position shown in Figure 6. In this position a cam or abutment 46 (see Fig. 2) on one of the arms '42 will engage the valve mechanism to release the suction on the cover and allow the cups to fall out of engagement with the cover underthe action of springs 44. The reciprocating movement of the plate is under the control of a lever 47 (see Figs. 2, 5 and 9) secured to a shaft 48 carrying a lever 49 which is operated through the medium of a connecting rod 50 from a crank 51 on the output shaft of the electric motor. The lever 47 is connected with the arm 42 by means of the connecting rod-45.

The arrangement is such that the range of movement of the lever47 is greater than thatrequired for the plate 35, springs (not shown) being arrangedzto absorbthe excess movementzgivinga certain amount of lost motion. During this period of lost motion the suction cups are moved into engagement with the lowermost cover and during the .movement upwardly to the left hand upper corner of the rectangle where the chains turn on the sprocket wheel to carry the blades along an upper horizontal path. At the right hand top corner of the rectangle the blades turn again to move downwardly and at this position a chute 53 is provided (see Figure l) closely adjacent to the path of the blades so that as the blades turn on to a downwardly vertical path the books complete with applied glued covers fall by gravity from the blades down the chute. The completed books are collected in any suitable manner.

A separate motor driven vacuum pump may be used to provide suction. All of these mechanical devices are simple and tend to keep the cost of the manufacture of the machine to a low level. Complicated cams have been avoided since these are expensive to make and would raise the cost of manufacture of the machine.

With certain types of work rotary brushes may be provided above and below the blades at the point of discharge of the books from the machine to assist the force of gravity where the books are very small and light.

In the case of large work it may be desirable to reposition the book hopper and set it at a slight angle so that the books fed from the hopper fall onto the adjustable plate instead of onto the blade. This presents no difficulty as alternative positions for the hopper and the use of a universal joint on the connecting rod driving the book feed would permit the hopper to be set at the necessary angle so that when deposited on the plate the books present one corner of their foredge to the approaching blades.

It will be appreciated that in the machine described use has been made of gravity on every possible occasion and the machine is reduced to a comparatively simple construction, particularly when comparing machines at present in use. In particular the two hoppers may be fed at intervals from the top with books and covers which are then fed by gravity to the machine and the manual feeding of the books and covers to the hoppers does not necessitate stoppage of the continuous operation of the machine.

I claim:

1. A book cover applying machine including a pair of endless chains arranged for parallel movement at the same speed and in the same direction in a closed circuit over a series of pairs of chain wheels, each pair of chain wheels being mounted on a common shaft and locked against relative angular movement, a series of spaced blades secured to said pair of chains, said blades projected laterally in cantilever fashion from the pair of chains, each blade being attached to one link only of each chain which links lie laterally opposite each other, a hopper for a stack of books, a reciprocating feeder header, for feeding books one by one from the hopper,

onto the top of a blade, deflecting means to remove the book from the top of the blade and to set the book at an angle to the advancing blades so that the next succeeding blade will penetrate between the leaves of the book near one corner of the books foredge and resiliently held stationary means positioned adjacent the circuit of the blades for turning the book parallel with the blade and assuring correct position of the book lengthwise of the blade.

2. A book cover applying machine including a pair of endless chains, belts or the like arranged for parallel movement at the same speed and in the same direction in a closed circuit over a series of pairs of chain Wheels, pulleys or the like, a series of spaced blades secured to said pair of chains, said blades projecting in cantilever fashion from the pair of chains, means for depositing one book at a time in the path of said blades whereby said blades in succession enter between the leaves of a series of books and convey the books in succession to the point of application of the cover, said circuit comprising a lower horizontal run and a substantial vertical upward run, said means for depositing the books being positioned to deposit the books on the blades in said lower horizontal run of the circuit, means for applying paste to the outside of the book, a hopper for book covers, a reciprocating feeder head to feed covers one by one from said hopper to a position above said paste applying means, means for pressing the covers against the paste coated sides of the book positioned along the upward vertical run of said circuit, said reciprocating feeder head including suction cups adapted to contact the lowermost cover in said hopper, means for reciprocating said feeder head, said last named means having a movement in excess of that required for the feeder head, the lost motion at each termination of movement of the feeder head being utilized for engagement of the suction cups with the cover and at the opposite end of the feeder heads movement for breaking the suction.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, including an auxiliary table onto which each book is swept by the deflecting means, the effective height of the auxiliary table being adjustable to compensate for books of different thickness and to ensure penetration of the blades between the leaves at substantially the centre of the book.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,043,401 Cox Nov. 5, 1912 1,765,349 Schramn June 17, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 289,477 Germany Dec. 31, 1915 633,358 Great Britain Dec. 12, 1949 

